4 Misconceptions Jews Have About Judaism

Exploring Judaism can mean un-learning mistaken ideas, as much as it means learning new ones.

Here are 4 common misconceptions many Jews have about Judaism.

1) "JUDAISM IS EITHER ALL OR NOTHING"

All those commandments to keep? You've got to be kidding.

Many people think that if they can't take on the whole Jewish kit'n'kaboodle, then there's no point in getting started.

But is that really true? Is traditional Judaism an all-or-nothing proposition?

Imagine stumbling across a gold mine. Would you turn down the gold because you know you won't find ALL the gold mines in the world? That one mine alone will make you rich for life!

Every mitzvah is a gold mine. Even if we do just part of a mitzvah, our lives are enriched forever.

Judaism is a process, a journey, where every step counts.

It's NOT all or nothing.

Whatever we're able to do right now is great!

Just Jew it. One step at a time.

2) "SOME JEWS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS"

Ever meet a Jew who looks down at everyone less religious than him? He can be condescending, judgmental, and turn others off to Judaism.

But, according to the Torah, can we know who is a "good Jew"?

If a terrorist would order the greatest rabbi on earth to kill a thief or else be killed, the rabbi is forbidden to murder, even in order to save his life. Why? Isn't the rabbi's life more precious in God's eyes than the life of some criminal?

The Talmud says: "Nobody knows whose blood is redder." No one can judge the worth of another person because no one knows where another person is situated on the ladder of life ― where he began and how many rungs he has climbed. Perhaps the thief, given his life's circumstances, is making greater, more difficult life choices than the finest rabbi.

The best policy is for all of us to stop judging each other and respect each other instead.

3) "RELIGION TAKES THE FUN OUT OF LIFE"

Judaism refers to God as our Father in Heaven.

Just like our parents want us to have everything that is good, the Almighty wants the same for us ― to get as much pleasure as we possibly can!

The word "Torah" means "instruction" because it contains the instructions for life. Computers come with big, fat instruction manuals, and without them we'd be lost. Life's a lot more complicated and if we want to make the most of it, a set of instructions can surely make a difference.

God doesn't ask us to pray because He needs an ego stroke.

God doesn't ask us to pray because He needs an ego stroke. Or to skip the bacon because it makes Him nauseous. For over three thousand years the Torah has been teaching us how to build a life of meaning and maximize pleasure.

Don't just settle for the banana splits. Make sure you get the premium ― the kind of fulfillment that lasts.

That's what Judaism is here to teach us.

4) "BEING RELIGIOUS IS AN ESCAPE"

"It's a crutch."

"Once you're religious, you stop thinking."

"Being religious requires a leap of faith."

Far from being an escape, Judaism teaches that we're responsible for the entire world. The Talmud says each person should feel that "the world was personally created for me and it's up to me to take care of it."

Our heroes are the righteous and the scholars because for thousands of years Jews have been having a love affair with learning about life and striving to grow. The Torah is a guide and standard for ethical conduct, but then comes the hard part ― applying those moral principles and living up to them in the nitty-gritty of daily life.

And that leap of faith? It's not Jewish. The first of the Ten Commandments is to know there's a God as opposed to blind acceptance. Be an honest intellectual, not a product of your society. Hear the evidence and start building a rational foundation for your beliefs, whatever they may be.

Clearing the air on some of these misconceptions is a good start in discovering what Judaism is really about. You can continue your journey with the related articles.

I do agree that jewdaism is a way of life and is a road for learning. Only i don't understand how that can play together. Statement "Far from being an escape, Judaism teaches that we're responsible for the entire world. The Talmud says each person should feel that "the world was personally created for me and it's up to me to take care of it." and separating yourself in volunterally "getto" with complete disconnection with theworld in dispora as well as Israel? A lot of hate come from luck of knowledge and unknown is always scarry.

(66)
Jay,
January 4, 2012 12:32 PM

Judaism is more than just a religion...

Sure, Judaism is a religion - and as with all religions there is a basis with which one can argue its legitimacy. However, as individuals we have the ability to decide how faithful we ought to be [if at all] - and as with most choices in life, a proper decision in this regard can only be made through an educated understanding [which, I must contend is very much open to perspective]. BLIND faith or the BLIND rejection of faith is just another way of being ignorant.
That said, I was born Jewish but had little exposure to religious practices growing up. I did not have a bar-mitzvah, nor did I attend synagogue aside from a few random occasions. I studied political philosophy in college, and that only strengthened my separation from Judaism and religion in general.
I am now 31 and exploring the opportunity to connect to the Jewish community. My experiences have brought me to this point, and as I continue to educate myself about Judaism I realize how its more than just a connection jews, as a group, have to G-d. Judaism is just as much about the connection we have to one another. This is something no Jewish person should forget...
To answer another poster's question: knowing or believing in a higher power [in this case a god or THE G-d] isn't an easy thing. This article illustrates that Judaism isn't an all-or-nothing proposition - something with which I'm in agreement. Going on that, being an atheist and following The Commandments while not believing in G-d isn't a bad thing - especially given what the 1st Commandment says about knowing versus believing in G-d. It's a pretty strong statement, but one worth thinking about...

Wassim,
January 7, 2012 5:21 AM

It depends on your conception/misconception of God

Given how difficult it is to ascertain "what is God", there is a huge number of potential candidate definitions or conceptions of "what God may be" in the individual mind of the religious person. If you consciously choose your candidate conception and then later conclude that "God doesn't exist" then you need to consider that your conception is what doesn't exist. Don't assume you've correctly conceptualised "God" and found that "God doesn't exist". More likely than not, you have failed to "grasp God" like almost everyone before you. Luckily for you, your benefit from religious study and observance isn't limited because you think "God doesn't exist". Actually, your "belief" that "God doesn't exist" only limits your ability to re-examine and therefore learn more. By reaching the unsubstantiated conclusion that "God doesn't exist', all you've done is decided to cut your losses, not realising that you gain more from that gap in your knowledge remaining intact (as a gap) rather than being filled with an unsubstantiated conclusion. There is 1 conception of God that will hold the test, but it requires tremendous flexibility of thought that will push you to the limits of your mental capacity. Rest assured, "God" exists, but does your "conception of God" exist? I don't know. This issue is at the heart of how we learn from religious scripture when the literal words don't seem to correlate well with present day conditions and accepted scientific knowledge. Is the Torah meant to teach us how to live, or are we supposed to use its words to find holes in our own conceptualisations? Do you teach a student better by providing them with a text that challenges them or with a text full of facts and figures that ought to be memmorised and literally translated? This is key to inter-sect and inter-faith discussions.

Anonymous,
April 18, 2012 9:00 AM

Wassim- I found your comment mind opening and inspiring. As a product of a liberal university with many 'intellectual truths' pushed on me, whether overtly or otherwise, I think you are correct. At one point I stopped asking 'what is' and 'how is' and instead i asked 'is it' and 'what isn't'. May we all merit the wisdom to ask the right questions in the right way.

(65)
Wolf,
February 15, 2011 5:40 PM

@Jerome - Is what you say true?

I agree there are many fights that may seem to come from religion, when in reality they originate from people that aren't respectful to others, I'm a Catholic, I've met a lot of Jews who are very observant, yet respectful of my beliefs and are friends to me, I've also met many Jews who look down on me, for I'm not part of "the chosen people"...that only creates conflicts (it's also the other way around with Catholics and Muslims being too narrow-minded to accept others)
I honestly believe that you cannot abide by some rules (say the 10 Commandments) if you don't believe the originator of those rules and the end to which they whey created...you may seem to behave properly in "human" terms, but unless you pursue a bigger end (as G-d), then in my opinion you're there only to not cause trouble, not to change this world and lives, remember it's not only not doing wrong, it's doing greater good for a fair reason.
And war by all means is not a fair pretext to which separate from religious beliefs, maybe you can separate from the creators of war -MEN, and show them differently with your actions, but if gain fame yourself instead of being a means for G-d to act, then it's futile my friend.

(64)
Tehillah,
February 14, 2011 3:37 AM

I am a Jew and I am not FFB or FFAR, but I am GEFG.
Good Enough For G-d. <3

(63)
TMay,
February 13, 2011 10:06 PM

to Jerome

The majority of deaths were from secular regimes like the Nazis, Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot. Look at the numbers which count in the millions, each one.
The Inquisition was religious and it killed about 1,500 people in all. The crusades were religious and was an attempt to take back Palestine from the Muslims which was a new religion that had conquered lands. On the way, the crowds on their own decided to attack Jews, and the Church spoke up against it. Judeo Christian is different from Islam. Islam is where Christianity was 1400 years after its creation and Martin Luther has not yet shown up in Islam and Islam is not a centralized religion so change cannot occur with one event. Islam is not only a religion but a supremacist geopolitical expansionist ideology. Every time the West hands it a victory due to terrorism, terrorism expands. Big surprise?
God withdrew to allow freedom of choice in this world. You seem to have a childish view of God that he will serve you and come to your rescue and do your bidding and you are peeved that he doesn't.
Reread the 10 commandments and the shema for the answer to your question. Maybe you are angry with God. Is the world better off with the Golden Rule or worse off? From where did the Golden Rule come from?(Both the Old Testament and the New Testament.) I knew a man with a rebellious son who said he was questioning God. The father said "Fine. Come to shul every week and argue with God." Israel means "struggle with God".

(62)
Anonymous,
February 13, 2011 2:16 AM

excellent

As stated prior, this is very refreshing. Like it or not i think that too many rabbis do not live your words. For the most part they are hypocrites like the rest of us. It's almost impossible to be. Life is tough. Life is a challenge. Okay the Rebbe was not a hypocrite. So, how many rabbis can vie with him ? They forget their failings. It's hard to believe that so many received little training in listening. Speaking, they did not need lessons since it is obvious that they were born or nurtured to talk, listen to themselves. We have a real Tzaddik in our midst. Everything is great until one day he reads the two Shabbat Tehillums. He was finished the verses in about 9 seconds flat. What's that all about ?
Sorry about my outlook, but i have been around.
Your essay is wonderful. Do you follow what it says ? It's a rhetorical question for you.

(61)
Jerome,
February 11, 2011 10:12 PM

I'm a Jew and I don't believe there is a God.

I'm a Jew and at 13 I had a Bar Mitzvah. I also had religious training by a Rabbi. At some point in my life I became an Atheist.
My main reason was that a majority of wars were due to religion.
This became objectionable to me. I consider myself to be honest, trustworthy and follow---"Do unto others.....
I also follow the Ten Commandments. The question I have is not believing in God a "bad thing"?

Wassim,
January 2, 2012 1:59 AM

Have you heard of "opportunity cost"

Is it a bad thing to ignore the existence of the biggest and best library in the world? Yes, that's a bad thing, considering the gifts you've been endowed with as a human being. Do you realise you have only one life? Doesn't that make you feel the pressure to maximise your experience? Have you gained "fulfillment" from "becoming an atheist"?

Michel,
January 3, 2012 11:47 AM

There are no atheists

Merely living and trying to be the best you can be is proof enough that you believe in God, otherwise, your life would have no meaning at all. Why live if you don't believe in soul and life-after-death? Why follow great values and principles instead of succumbing to wordly pleasures and your carnal instincts if you will, as atheists believe, "become only worm food"?
That is all the more enforced if you consider yourself to be a follower of principles that were first dictated to the world by God in Sinai and if the foundation of (most) of today's civilizations.
If that would "not be enough", then just pick any book of the jewish history and see for yourself how far our "luck" (as "atheists" put it) can go. If you are jew, try embracing judaism, as the article said, one step at a time, understading our holy Torah, because being jewish is an invaluable priviledge.
Michel

Miriam,
January 3, 2012 3:07 PM

One of the Ten Commandments is to keep the Sabbath

And why keep the Ten Commandments at all? If there's no G-d, why be a good person? And what does it mean to be a good person? If there's no G-d,everything is null; nothing matters.

Stuart,
January 4, 2012 2:06 AM

Do the Mitzvos

Do the mitzvos, learn some Torah and who knows, maybe you'll find that you really do believe. Doing the mitzvos is the oimportant thing. Talk to a guy from Chabad he'll give you the expanded version.
As fars as wars go, while not a historian, in the last century, the 20th, most wars, and certainly most war death and destruction was not due to religion,unless you count communism and facisim as religions.
Please do the mitzvos.

Kevin,
April 19, 2012 6:11 PM

Why is it in the Bible

When considering the Bible as a whole (including the Christian portions) I ask the question, "It is good because it is in the Bible or is it in the Bible because it is good?"
Without reference to a god or God, could it be that people have realized that natural law dictates that some things are simply good becuase they help everyone live better. We are better off when we do not kill and do not steal and do not envy our neighbor. Must these rules for living be linked to a god, or did people realize that these were basic goods in and of themsleves, and after ward ascribed them to a deity?

(60)
Jerry S.,
February 11, 2011 1:15 AM

User friendly Judaism

Thanks for opening the door a bit wider. Those who dictate an absolute approach do not understand the journey and certainly don't respect the travelers. I continue on my spiritual path as Jason did in his physical quest for the golden fleece.

(59)
T.B.C.,
February 10, 2011 11:43 PM

Translations

"BT" = ba'al/as teshuva, a returnee to Judaism
"FFB" = frum (observant) from birth
As for me and my family and friends, we consider ourselves "FFAR" - frum for a reason :)

(58)
Anonymous,
February 9, 2011 10:41 PM

A question #54, Tracy S.

I assume I a behind in what is current, but what does FFB mean?
I tried guessing but did not get very far.......!
Ed Reply: It means Frum (observant) From Birth

(57)
Anonymous,
February 8, 2011 11:12 PM

Very Refreshing............

(56)
ruth housman,
February 8, 2011 10:37 PM

One woman's Jew Wish

it would be wonderful if rabbis followed this advice but so many do not. It seems humility, a listening stance, the view that we are all of this deeply together in a learning and gifting process that should lack judgment is actually not my experience or the experience of many others.
Yes to what you wrote with a wish most rabbis would take this to heart, To act in this way is simply not consonant with the arrognce and invisibility of many who try to contact and share with rabbis,

(55)
Joseph Levy,
February 8, 2011 6:16 PM

misconceptions

Misconceptions are really nothing new. People have had them from time immemorial. In fact, the job of our prophets was to clarify and remove misconceptions that the people had. If you'd like, I could e-mail you more on this. I spoke about it a couple of years ago.

(54)
Tracey S.,
February 8, 2011 5:13 PM

Monolithic minds

I loved this article! I do hope it is widely read. Where I live, there are entire congregations who will do something just because their rabbi says so, including voting or whether to frequent a certain business if that rabbi doesn't think the hecksher is good enough (that is, if it wasn't given by his brother-in-law). School districts and innocent store owners have suffered because of this. It happens all to frequently for my comfort. Same thing with the condenscention. Since I'm not FFB, I have been viewed as a lesser being by other Jews. I'm making my journey, and rather than offer me the water of their wisdom as I cross my spiritual desert, they'd rather withhold it because I'm deemed not good enough yet.

(53)
Dara,
February 8, 2011 4:40 PM

Amazing Article!

This was such a great article. I am trying to become more observant and be BT and the article just drives me more and more everyday to help and spread the word about being Jewish. Judaism is such a great religion and everyday am learning something new. Aish is a great way to get connected and to learn if you have any questions. In Judaism its always good to ask questions and this article answered many of mine!

(52)
rabbi superstar,
February 8, 2011 4:10 PM

i could not have said it better myself..thank you rabbi coopersmith..

(51)
Rabbi Marc Kline,
February 8, 2011 3:59 PM

no Jew is better than another

I love this comment, and congratulation Rabbi Meinberg for stating most clearly that Reform, Orthodox, unaffiliated -- all are equal in our tradition. We can now put to rest that controbversy over who is or is not authentically Jewish and welcome all, as the Shulkhan Arukh teaches, without interrogation over one's witnesses. Perhaps it is time for yamot hamashiakh!

(50)
Steve,
February 8, 2011 3:58 PM

Re: (47) Brent - There is fun!

Re: (47) Brent - There is fun in Judaism! Purim, Sukkos, Simchas Torah, singing with family around the Shabbos table, Bar Mitzvah and wedding celebrations, playng with one's kids, etc. Then there are all the things society at large considers fun, many of which are kosher (perhaps depending on the time and amount), such as vacation, playing sports and games, etc.

(49)
,
February 8, 2011 3:27 PM

Informative. Essential to be understood.

(48)
Joel F.,
February 8, 2011 2:46 PM

Good Reading

These 4 short points are so valid to remember.
Those of us who confront judgemental, "holier than thou" Jewish people and others who get their daily joy from looking down on other Jews hopefully will recognize that negative behavior and outlook as an abberation. I hope more than these 4 misconceptions might be shared here some day. Thank you.

(47)
Brent,
February 3, 2011 4:11 PM

88% Agreement

I'm right with you until #3. You do not say that religion does not take the fun out of life. In much Aish literature and classes we see that pleasure is preferable to fun, but even this essay does not say that you will as much "fun" with a religious lifestyle. You can make the argument for a better life, a more meaningful life, but not for more a more fun life.
Thank you Rabbi Coopersmith - for everything!

(46)
Jason Schlosberg,
February 3, 2011 11:45 AM

Thank you, Rabbi Coopersmith

Rabbi Coopersmith,
After learning with Rabbis Weinberg, Schwartz, Unger, and Berger all the way back in 1997, I remember these lessons well. Thank you for your enduring impact on my life. While not every Jew subscribes to these beliefs, it is this rationality and inclusiveness that brought me back to Judaism. Thank you.

(45)
Anonymous,
March 18, 2009 5:20 PM

it seems to me that some people are taking this article to mean that it is okay to select a few mitzvahs and stay put at that, whereas it isntokay to do that, imagine you had that gold mine and you had mined out 1% of the gold thereby earning you $1,000,000 would you stop mining until you had finished mining the other $99,000,000 worth of gold?

(44)
Anonymous,
February 11, 2009 11:16 AM

Enlightening

Thank you for this article. It has opened my eyes to what I did not understand. I am Jewish but have only recently been trying to learn what my grandparents must have known.

(43)
mike fallwell,
December 7, 2008 8:41 PM

Israeli Views

My Israeli friends didn't tend to see things this way at all. In fact the history of Reform on this site seems as fundamentalist in its view of freedom of conscience as most churches.
How many Orthodox share your views?

(42)
jackie,
December 7, 2008 1:17 PM

thank you for sharing

whenever I get the chance I read the articles from this site which are very informative,inspiring and to the point, the articles here are easy to understand and keep learning something new, thank you for sharing with jews and non jews alike about judaism, customs, points of view and please keep up with the good work, there is still so much to learn and I am greatful to have such an important source at my fingertips

(41)
S.C. Davis,
December 2, 2008 8:04 PM

Dear Bob Cohen,
I like your theory, but where do you start? Seriously!!! There is the ritual hand washings, the daily prayers, the Koshur foods, proper clothing, etc. I honestly feel over-whelmed by it all. I started with the Koshur foods, but I even flop at that. I'm lucky in one since that we grew up keeping the Sabbath, Holy Days, clean and unclean foods, but I realize that these three things in themselves doesn't even make a dent in this way of life. It's truly all emcompassing. Finding Koshur foods is hard work so I gave up eating meat altogether until I figure it out. Truly, the Jews are a very, very blessed people.

(40)
Bob Cohen,
November 29, 2008 2:27 PM

Surprises

About 20 years ago a Rabbi told me "do what's comfortable, and when that's not enough, do a little more. It's like going to McDonalds and eyeing that bacon double cheeseburger, start by holding the bacon." That was the best advice I ever received. I keep adding a little to my practice of our faith and I find after a time it too is not enough. I love that and may it never stop!

(39)
enyi,
May 2, 2008 5:52 AM

TRUE WORDS

This is such a wonderful concise article,and i;m glad to be a Jew convert.

(38)
benhayoune sadafi,
October 1, 2007 10:51 PM

wonderfull

i like that feeling i just see what s the inportance of the judaism

(37)
Paul Simminger,
January 11, 2006 12:00 AM

Went looking for the Dead Sea & "fell in."

Wow, facinating... & beginning to learn the Hebrew alphabet too.

(36)
Anonymous,
December 13, 2005 12:00 AM

Judaism is not "all or nothing"

Your comment, that Judaism is not "all or nothing" strikes me as being very important. Indeed, this idea just might be what makes Judaism possible--today as in every generation. It reminds me of something I read about 15 years ago. Alan Dershowitz, in Chutzpah, said that he had chosen to follow some traditions, and not to follow others, so he could focus on the tenets that are most important to him personally. If you follow traditions that are not in your heart, then you deprive yourself of the full richness of the ones that are in your heart. A modern Jew should concentrate on the aspects of Judaism that are important to that individual person (and constantly re-evaluate, because that focus changes continually). As Dershowitz said, my Jewishness is too important to me, for me to do otherwise.

Thank you for an inspiring article!

(35)
Eric Anderson,
August 4, 2005 12:00 AM

I agree

I really enjoyed this article and agreed with what is has to say about serving the Almighty.

I have been telling people for some time now, when they see how I live, that you don't start keeping all the Torah...you grow into it as this article says.

When I hear someone talk big about someone, I just remind them of some one else that is just as important and needed in other ways.

I have completely enjoyed my life and have been much more satisfied with it since I started keeping Torah, it gives me a sense of purpose and meaning.

No, the road to a content life is not easy. Keeping Torah is not easy, it takes work; but, it's rewards are out of this world. Do you think any one became a millioniare by accident? No, it takes a lot of work. Was the rewards worth the effort? Don't know, I am not one...but you get the point. Torah is more valuable than all the riches of this world, just ask King Solomon (Ecclesiates 12:13)

Well, there are my comments on the 4 misconseptions...in order... I hope it helps some one.

Shalom.

(34)
Jake Mezrahi,
July 1, 2005 12:00 AM

Great I could have not said it better my self...

I use to think that it was all or nothing, but after learning a little I realized that it is a growing process and as long as you are in the "up" direction, your going the right way, I have been adding things as I understand them. I lived 23 years of my life before reading the Torah, and after that I wish I would have read it and understood it earlier, life would have been easier...and made a lot more sense.

(33)
Anonymous,
August 6, 2004 12:00 AM

great article

good stuff. shkoyach.

(32)
Anonymous,
June 15, 2004 12:00 AM

The 4 misconceptions gave an inner truth

After reading this article I felt a sense of peace...finally someone saying the words I long to hear. Human's aren't perfect. For a non-jew such as myself, this is a great article and site to learn from before considering converting.

(31)
Anonymous,
November 12, 2003 12:00 AM

Thank you for highlighting those 4 common misconceptions about Judaism and explaining them. It was an excellent idea!

(30)
Art Olgin,
October 29, 2003 12:00 AM

misconceptions

excellent approach to overload.

(29)
nikki patel,
October 19, 2003 12:00 AM

I enjoyed browsing throught the entire site - reccommended by my Uni lecturer. I do not and have never had any Jewish friends. This is partly the reason why I was curious to find out more.

(28)
Reuven Udoff,
May 4, 2003 12:00 AM

A Very Good Teaching

Like Rabbi Hillels summary of Torah , you were able to summarize what it means to be a good Jew. I was raised going to a Reform synagogue. In 1995, I started to become more observant. Now that I have become Torah observant I see everything in a different way. It is so important to clear up the misconceptions that nonOrthodox Jews have about Orthodox.

(27)
Rex S. Rambo,
April 15, 2003 12:00 AM

The analogy to a gold mine hit home with me.

I especailly appreciated being apprised of the fact that every mitzah attained was another step up the ladder. It made me realize that I have not attained the spritual status of failing to judge my fellows with a liberal eye while being strict with myself hopefully. It made me appreciate how great these advanced rabbis are.

(26)
Juan M Alfonso,
February 25, 2003 12:00 AM

Your sites makes one feel welcomed

I want to come home.

(25)
Valyusha,
February 3, 2003 12:00 AM

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Again, I thank you. It is so hard and I like many like me need help! I've always known my heart and soul was Jewish and only recently found out that my paternal side is also Jewish. Being born in England to Ukrainian Displaced Persons who suffered so much under Stalin, I heard so much how my maternal grandmother hid her Jewish heritage by marrying a Ukrainian Orthodox man. Then I hear my paternal grandparents were Jewish, but followed the Ukrainian Orthodox religion. Growing up in England my parents carried on 'hiding' their Jewish heritage! Why?? And yet little ways, words and customs were Jewish. I do know that the Jewish genes always come out in someone further down the track, which they have with me and wondered from a young child why I was so passionate about Israel, Hebrew music and why my heart would flutter when I saw mama with her Jewish friends! There is so much to get rid of and cleanse ourselves of the 'false' anti-Jewish teachings! It's going to be a very hard road, but the main thing is that our hearts and souls know who we are, it's just panning out the gold and cleaning it! I'm sure there are literally thousands like me and we need all the prayers and help we can get!

Thank you again, Valyusha

(24)
Tom Slatton,
April 2, 2002 12:00 AM

Great article on the journey to and with G-d.

(23)
Anne Marie Warfield,
March 27, 2002 12:00 AM

Thank you

Thank you for being there and keeping it simple for Jews like myself.
Thank you for giving me a place to ask questions when I am too lazy to go to the Temple. Its not close to where we live, and we have to tackle a lot of traffic.
My mother is Jewish, but she hide it for so long till she actually believes she is a Christen now. But I remember some of the Jewish traditions from my childhood, but they are bits and pieces, and I find it hard to pass down to my sons.
She married a Gentile, and so desired me to do so, and I did twice. But neither marriage worked out. I want to be a better mother to my one son who is still at home, but am ashamed that I do not know enough to pass it on to him. When we lived in Florida we went to the Temple. But when we moved up north, we just stopped.
I find celebrating the holidays very difficult, as I have to back peddle. Its not easy to be a Jew in America.

(22)
SERGIO TOLEDO,
March 27, 2002 12:00 AM

excellent

excellent comments !

(21)
Paola Bonfiglioli,
February 5, 2002 12:00 AM

a concise,clear,very useful guide.

I hope I shall be able to come to terms with the sense of guilt I often feel in not applying all the principles of Judaism.

(20)
Uri Kozma,
February 3, 2002 12:00 AM

I love these up to the point comments of yours

I find it helpful that one can practice so to speak Judaism on the net...I lived under Communism for decades so I can appreciate the difference...I think it would be important to tell others that Jews do have a - historically varying - concept of the Anointed, and to think that they don't accept the "Anointed Saved One" is a misunderstanding...

(19)
Anonymous,
January 5, 2002 12:00 AM

Thanks!

This Rabbi writes excellent, healing

articles

Thanks for your wisdom and compassion!

(18)
Debra,
January 4, 2002 12:00 AM

Am I Jewish?

A friend commented to me several times to me if I was Jewish, based on my beliefs. Just exploring this site has me asking the same question of myself. This is a time for me to explore more deeply.

(17)
Anonymous,
September 4, 2001 12:00 AM

Thank you for clearing that up.

I am not jewish but am converting. I recently had an arguement with two people, one a convert and one who knew nothing about his tradition, over an issue. They both warned me the consiquence was death and made it sound so dire! You have renewed my belief that I can do this over time. Thank you.

(16)
Valerie Spisak,
August 11, 2001 12:00 AM

Excellent information

Although i am not Jewish, I have found this site and the lessons on Kabbalah, Jewish history, Mitvahs, etc to be enlightening and thought provoking. Thank you so much for making this available to everyone. It has caused me to look back at what i have been told about God and question the meaning in my life. I want to understand Him more each day and hope that my life continues to filled with that Journey. Thank you again for the access to ancient commentary on our human condition.

Sincerely,

Valerie Spisak

(15)
Anonymous,
March 12, 2001 12:00 AM

A great effort.

I am a non-practicing Jew in Toronto. I really like this because I am eager to learn the basic Judaism my parents never had me learn. Now I am 53 and I regret all the years I've wasted.
I never realized how much I would end up wanting to have a Jewish identity.

(14)
Anonymous,
February 6, 2001 12:00 AM

Great article

A great article. Teaching these things to young people who fear the full "kitankaboodle" could help open eyes!

(13)
Stan Dadds,
February 4, 2001 12:00 AM

Very helpful

I found these articles very useful to some one like me who needs a course in the practicle side of Judaism.It helps me feel ok and not out of place with fellow Jews who have more background than i do.

(12)
Judy Snyder,
February 1, 2001 12:00 AM

Thank you

This article gives us hope.

(11)
Anonymous,
January 28, 2001 12:00 AM

4 misconceptions

A great point of view, really made me think of things i didn't learn in hebrew school. i'm 19 years old and only just begining to learn what being Jewish is all about. But teachings like this help.

(10)
Eric Mossman,
January 28, 2001 12:00 AM

Aish rules!! Aish is like vitamins and nutrients for the Jewish soul.

Best Jewish site on the web. Keep the good stuff coming.

(9)
Jill Schuster,
January 22, 2001 12:00 AM

Thank You

I really appreciate these types of articles. In our community, I teach the children of many "re-entering" Jews - so what I teach is as much for the families as for the 3rd graders. These simple types of messages help educate many people. Thank you for your efforts.

(8)
Anonymous,
January 15, 2001 12:00 AM

Gratitude

It is nice to know this website exists. I will visit it more often.
Thank you.

(7)
Leslie,
December 31, 2000 12:00 AM

1st misconception

I used to get extremely angry with myself as I applied Judaism as being all or nothing, it's good to know that this misconception was my mistake.

(6)
David Richardson,
November 26, 2000 12:00 AM

Judging Actions, not People

Above, it is stated: "No one can judge the worth of another person because no one knows where another person is situated on the ladder of life -- where he began and how many rungs he has climbed. Perhaps the thief, given his life's circumstances, is making greater, more difficult life choices than the finest rabbi." This is a remarkable and wonderful teaching! It contains a notion of universal moral equality. Perhaps we could judge the moral standing of this or that person if we had complete knowledge of that person's life and situation. But we never have such knowledge, not even of ourselves! I believe we should try to restrict our moral judgements to actions, not people! This way we may foster an atmosphere of kindness and understanding while still being vigilant to eliminate unwholesome actions from our lives.

(5)
Anonymous,
November 4, 2000 12:00 AM

Reflections of Self

I have seen all of these aspects within myself or within others therefore potentially within myself. It is beautiful to read this article because it requires that I take another look at all of my off-target thoughts and actions whether they be mine or potentially mine. Toda.

(4)
jenny smith,
October 13, 2000 12:00 AM

wow :)

I have printed this off and added it to a growing binder of insperational writing I keep on hand. This article gives helpful and well thought out answers to diffucult
questions we all are asked or ask ourselves!

(3)
Anonymous,
October 11, 2000 12:00 AM

I was expecting to see other misconceptions

The misconception about Judaism being "all or nothing" I've heard many times from friends. The others I don't hear in my circle of friends. But I have heard others:

Other misconceptions are that Judaism is full of meaningless rules. I tell them that it appears meaningless only because their Jewish education was sorely lacking.

Another misconception is that if you are observant, you remove yourself too much from mainstream life.

There's also misconceptions about the Jewish attitudes towards women.

There's great misconceptions about the major divisions within Judaism from Reform to Orthodox. And, of course, not the kind of respect among each other I'd very much like to see. There could be more respect if each branch was taught the basic about the others.

(2)
Burt Bregman,
September 11, 2000 12:00 AM

helpful

I read this out of curiousity. "Do I hold any of these common misconceptions?" I was guity of one, but I know people who believe all 4 and I will send them a copy.

(1)
Anonymous,
July 5, 2000 12:00 AM

inspirational

I read your article and have found it to be very inspirational and uplifting. Because one of my friends went to a camp for Russian kids in Israel, now he lives in New York, and was saying that Judaism is actually an all-or-nothing religion. Though I did not agree with him, your article gave a better understanding through the goldmine example.